closed vagina on 8 yr old

[mrbkn]

When my daughter was 1 I was tending my sisters little girl and noticed that our girls looked VERY different. I told my husband that our little girl didn't have a vagina. He just laighed and said that all girls have them. I called ask a nurse and they gave me news no mother would ever want to hear. ( she will never have children and all that.) So I called the hospital and my Dr. happened to be there. He had me call first thing in the morning and get her in for him to see her. He pulled up her birth records and she was normal when she was born. They did ultrasounds and everything is there. So he sent us to a ped. obgyn and she put her on estegen. She opened up. We continued putting the cream on and she closed back up. This Dr. moved out of state and we found a new Dr.  She tried everything we would get her opened for a min. and then she would close back up. At the age of 4 she ws surgically opened up. That lasted about 3 months. They don't know what is causing her to do this we have had dermitlogists do allergy tests and no one seems to know.
We have taken her off the estregen because of health risks and are hoping when the time comes that her own body will kick in and open her up. I have heard of this happening but when they gave the cream it opened them and they were fine.
Has anyone heard of this?  I am worried now because if her own body doesn't kick in and she starts her period and the blood pools it can kill her.

[marriedlove]

This condition--known as labial adhesions--is apparently not all that uncommon among little girls.  We tend not to notice that it's developed at all once we're past the point of changing their diapers, because once they're potty changed, we don't really spend any time examining our children's private areas!  We discovered this problem because our daughter was having difficulty urinating.  She went *all* the time, but always felt like she needed to go again.  I figured it must be some sort of UTI, but it turned out to be labial adhesions.  A pox upon the nurse who scared the daylights out of you.  Sheesh!  A medical professional ought to know better.  The estrogen cream is generally only applied for a very short time to prevent side effects.  Do beware of pediatricians who want to have you apply the cream, the "open" your girl in their offices.  Can anyone say *OWWWWWWW*?  Don't you let 'em do that!  We certainly don't want our daughters associating pain with their sexual organs.  We ended up opting to see a specialist in gynecologic surgery, who separated the lips (the cream wasn't doing the trick) in a surgical setting.  There was some discomfort on that day, but it was readily alleviated with tylenol, ice packs, and urinating in the tub.  (Sounds weird, but the water carries the urine away from the sore edges of the labia, and prevents what would otherwise be painful burning.) By the next day, she had a bounce in her step, could finally really empty her bladder, and was happy all around.  For several weeks, we needed to apply a little bit of non-hormonal cream between her labia to prevent them begin to adhere again as they healed and "zipping" closed again.  (The doc suggested Neutrogena hand cream, unscented, and that worked perfectly.)  I took this opportunity to teach my daughter how to look at her own genitals, and how to care for them.  She applied the cream herself, and learned to take some time when bathing, going to the bathroom, etc. to have a look/feel and make sure everything was good.

If she's old enough to grasp what's up (and I do suggest explaining it if she is, even if you have to keep it all pretty simple), then this condition can actually become a good opportunity to help her be confident and unashamed about her body, and it's also a good time to clarify who can and can't have access to it, and why.

Hope all goes well.  Don't freak, but do be a good advocate for her, and insist on thoughtful and sensitive as well as medically sound treatment.

marriedlove

[oceans3]

well, i was going to comment on "who is this" response because i was taken a back by the lack of sympathy. i did not respond because i thought it was "just me" being my ultra sensitive self. i always seem to take things the wrong way. however, your response "justified" my feelings.
dont feel time has been wasted. that poster can tend to be very brief lacking warmth. just keep checking back. someone else (like imroswell) will possibly have experienced the same thing. sorry you are going through this. especially something rare. what if you posted under that new forum..undiagnosed symptoms? is that what it is?
come back ok?

[who_is_this]

These are questions that should be discussed with her doctor.  If you are not comfortable with what her doctor says, seek out another opinion.

[mrbkn]

I just thought maybe someone else was going through this too and maybe they had some advice for me. Her Dr. doesn't know what to do she is the only one she has seen that hasn't stayed opened. sorry for wasting your time.

[IWantToBeAMom]

Hithere,
I am not familiar with this kind of situation, but I do have some advice.  I can understand why you are freaked.  I would be too.  

You mention that your daughter pees through a pin hole and is very closely watched by your family doctor.  When you say family doctor do you really mean "family doctor" and that they are not a pediatrician?  If yes, then I cannot stress enough that you need to be taking your daughter to a pediatrician, first and foremost.  Kids are not just tiny adults, they are very different and need a ped. not a family doctor.  Find a ped. that you are confident in and if they don't have the answers then ask for a referral to a specialist.  Seek out children's hospitals where they have these specialists on staff.  I know you stated that she did see a ped. obgyn, but now she's just being watched by your family doctor.  Does this ped. obgyn know that your daughter has closed up again?

Don't give up, keeping seeking answers!  You said that her doctor doesn't know what to do because she is the only one she has seen that hasn't stayed opened.  This is a red flag that you need to move onwards and upwards in the ranks.  

Good luck, I wish you all the best on your quest!!!!

[mrbkn]

The tramitazation is one reason we stopped going to see the Dr.'s. She is completely closed. She pees through a pin hole and is watch very closely by our family Dr. because of the risk of uti's.  She developed breasts and her leg hair is pretty thick. She knows she has a problem and we keep a close eye and it but is it really nesacery to keep giving her the cream and run the risk of cancer and the other affects of the cream?